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cnbc.com
Major crypto bill slated for May 14 Senate Banking Committee vote
The crypto industry's top legislative priority, a bill determining oversight of digital assets, is set to advance in the Senate Banking Committee.
cnbc.com
The Federal Reserve is quickly running out of reasons to cut interest rates
Friday's jobs report provided evidence that the central bank's larger concern is a cost of living that is getting increasingly hard to bear.
bbc.com
US jobs data beats expectations for second month in a row
The solid figures came despite rising gas prices and economic uncertainty sparked by the Iran war.
cnbc.com
Wall Street sees 'changing of the guard in AI' as Intel, AMD shares soar while Nvidia lags
Intel, AMD and Micron surged double digits this week as investors bet on CPU makers and memory companies powering the next stage of AI
cnbc.com
Anthropic's Mythos set off a cybersecurity 'hysteria.' Experts say the threat was already here
The arrival of Anthropic's Mythos jolted banks, software giants and governments into reckoning with a new era of cyber attacks. But the threat is already here.
cnbc.com
AWS data center outage hits trading on FanDuel, Coinbase — recovery to take hours
The cloud platform says it is currently working to resolve the outage, caused by overheating at a data center in Northern Virginia.
cnbc.com
Oil prices edge higher after U.S. fires on Iranian tankers, UAE attacked by missiles
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh fears that the fragile ceasefire between the two countries was unraveling.
cnbc.com
Michael Burry says the market today feels like 'the last months of the 1999-2000 bubble'
"Stocks are not up or down because of jobs or consumer sentiment," Burry wrote. "Feeling like the last months of the 1999-2000 bubble."
cnbc.com
Iran focus at Trump-Xi summit may delay progress on tariffs, rare earths
Thanks to the Iran war, big issues for U.S. businesses like rare earths and supply chains may take a back seat on the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit.
theguardian.com
UK borrowing costs fall and pound rises after Starmer says he will stay as PM
Bond yields drop as market fears ease that Labour leader will be replaced by a more leftwing rivalUK government borrowing costs fell and the pound rose on Friday as Keir Starmer vowed to remain as prime minister despite the Labour party losing hundreds of council seats across England.Investors calculated that some of the intense pressure on Starmer’s leadership had eased, as Labour appeared on track for smaller losses than election experts had predicted. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump threatens EU with ‘much higher’ tariffs if no trade deal signed by new deadline
President Donald Trump said he will give the European Union until July 4 to ratify its trade agreement with the U.S.
cnbc.com
Marco Rubio says U.S. expects Iran response on peace deal 'today'
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the U.S. is expecting a response from Iran on Washington's proposal to end the war.
bbc.com
Major train operator to be renationalised in months
GWR, which runs trains between London and South Wales, will come under government control.
cnbc.com
U.S. says it struck two Iran-flagged oil tankers trying to skirt blockade
The shaky U.S. ceasefire with Iran has been repeatedly undermined this week, even as President Donald Trump insists it remains in effect.
theguardian.com
Great Western Railway to be nationalised in December
Train operator will become 11th national service returned to public ownership since Labour was elected in 2024Great Western Railway will be nationalised in December, the government has announced.The train service, which has been in private hands for 30 years, mainly run by First Group, will be the 11th train operator on the national railway brought back into public ownership. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Akamai stock soars 20% on earnings, $1.8 billion AI infrastructure deal
Cybersecurity and cloud computing firm Akamai reported first-quarter earnings on Thursday and saw its cloud infrastructure business grow 40% year-on-year.
bbc.com
US jet fuel could be used in Europe to ease possible shortages
An international air body suggests wider acceptance of US-grade jet fuel could help to head off any supply problems.
cnbc.com
Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall as renewed U.S.-Iran clashes keep investors on edge
Asia stocks broadly traded lower Friday, as concerns grew over renewed hostilities between Iran and the U.S. amid a fragile ceasefire.
bbc.com
Housing market 'fragile due to global unrest'
Jersey estate agents say there is uncertainty in the market due to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.
cnbc.com
‘Not a Chance Hormuz Opens’: How Wall Street’s new NACHO trade bets on a prolonged oil shock
Traders are embracing the “NACHO” trade, betting Hormuz disruptions and elevated oil prices will persist longer than expected.
cnbc.com
Gilt yields ease as UK PM Starmer says 'tough' election results won't make him quit
The U.K. is counting votes after an election of local councilors and devolved governments on Thursday.
theguardian.com
US added 115,000 jobs in April in surprise gain amid Iran war uncertainty
Unemployment remained steady at 4.3% as the US-Israel war on Iran continues to rattle the American economyUS employers added 115,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3%, a surprisingly robust gain to the labor market as the US-Israel war with Iran continued to drive up economic uncertainty.Economists projected about 55,000 new jobs and a 4.3% unemployment rate. A day earlier, the labor department announced 200,000 people filed for weekly unemployment benefits, a slight increase from the week before. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Iran war costs Toyota £3bn as prices of materials soar and sales fall
Carmaker gives one of biggest warnings yet of conflict’s impact on businesses while Trump tariffs also take tollToyota has reported a £3bn hit from costs from the war in Iran, as prices of parts and materials soared and sales dropped.The world’s biggest carmaker said profits declined in its financial year to March as it was “likely unable to absorb newly added impact from the Middle East”, in one of the largest warnings yet of the war’s impact on businesses. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
British Airways fares to rise in attempt to offset £1.7bn fuel cost hit
Owner IAG expects to recover 60% of additional fuel bill caused by Iran war through ‘revenue and cost management’Business news – live updatesBritish Airways fares will rise to try to recoup most of a €2bn (£1.7bn) hit in fuel costs this year, its parent group has said, adding that the Iran war will dent profits.The International Airlines Group (IAG) said its annual fuel bill was now expected to be about €9bn, up from the forecast €7.1bn, as 70% of its supply was hedged, shielding it from the full impact of soaring jet fuel prices since the start of the conflict. Continue reading...
bbc.com
South East Water boss quits after supply failures
David Hinton faced criticism after outages affected tens of thousands of people in Kent and Sussex.
cnbc.com
The Tech Download: Meta, Google enter AI agent race as ‘agentic wars’ heat up
The viral personal assistant OpenClaw has triggered a rush among Big Tech to build agentic tools.
theguardian.com
Trump walks back threat to rip up part of EU trade deal but tells bloc to ratify by 4 July
US president expresses impatience at speed of EU’s implementation and warns of ‘much higher’ tariffsUS trade court rules against Trump’s 10% global tariffsBusiness live – latest updatesDonald Trump has walked back from his threat to tear up part of the US trade deal with the EU by hiking tariffs on car imports.The US president has given the EU until 4 July to implement its side of the deal, reducing tariffs to zero on most American imports, warning that the bloc would face “much higher” tariffs if it did not do so. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘The worst time for wheat’: US farmers face losses to extreme heat and drought
Temperature swings have left crops across the Plains in terrible conditions, with some farmers opting not to harvestMerrill Nielsen’s wheat crop looked healthy after he planted it in the fall on his 2,500-acre farm in north-central Kansas, about 50 miles west of Salina, the plants benefiting from higher-than-normal November rainfall.But an abnormally warm and dry winter, followed by extreme temperature variability, stressed the developing wheat. In the winter-to-spring transition, temperatures fluctuated from 70 to 80F on some days and lows in the teens or low 20s on other days. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
South East Water CEO to step down after Kent and Sussex supply outages
David Hinton will remain in post while successor is found, group says, a week after resignation of chair Chris TrainThe chief executive of South East Water has announced plans to step down, a week after the group’s chair quit in the wake of major supply outages in Kent and Sussex.The supplier said David Hinton, who joined the board in 2013, would stay in post to allow an “orderly transition” over the summer while the group hunts for his successor. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Sony targets double-digit profit growth despite slowdown in PlayStation 5 sales amid memory price crunch
While hardware sales took a hit in Sony's fourth-quarter, strong revenue from its image sensing and music businesses offset the dip.
cnbc.com
Commerzbank boss pledges to defend shareholders in UniCredit takeover battle
Commerzbank said it would defend the interests of its shareholders as it fends off an acquisition move from UniCredit
bbc.com
Oil prices rise after US and Iran exchange fire in Hormuz strait
US President Donald Trump says the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran is still in place.
bbc.com
The companies making billions from the Iran war
Through surging profits or soaring share prices, the war has been a boon for some firms.
cnbc.com
Billion-dollar bets: Global investors chase Indian Premier League to ride booming cricket economy
India is the world’s fastest-growing consumer market, and with cricket commanding near-religious devotion, investors are rushing to own IPL franchises.
cnbc.com
Tech stocks could offer their best value in years, analysts say, after stellar earnings season
A succession of strong earnings seasons since then has allowed tech stocks to "grow into" their stock prices.
theguardian.com
UK house price growth halved as Iran war fallout hits housing market
Halifax says cost of typical home fell by 0.1% in April, the second consecutive monthly drop, with pace of annual growth down from 0.8%. to 0.4%Business news – live updates UK house prices fell for a second consecutive month in April, as Halifax halved its estimate for the annual rate of growth owing to the conflict in the Middle East.Halifax, which is part of Lloyds – Britain’s biggest mortgage lender – said that the cost of a typical UK home fell by 0.1% in April, to £299,313. This followed a 0.5% fall in March. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Toyota fourth-quarter profit misses by wide margin as U.S. tariffs drive 49% slump
The world's largest automaker by sales volume saw a 1.89% year-on-year rise in revenue during the fourth quarter ended March.
cnbc.com
Nintendo hikes Switch 2 prices and expects console sales to decline as memory crunch bites
Nintendo said the price of the Switch 2 in the U.S. will rise from $449.99 to $499.99. In Japan, Nintendo will hike the price from 49,980 yen to 59,980 yen.
theguardian.com
Homes for sale in converted mills in England and Scotland – in pictures
From a picturesque countryside corn mill to a city flat in London’s historic waterside heartland Continue reading...
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Leadership challenge swirls around Starmer
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing fresh pressure, as his Labour party suffers heavy losses in local elections across Britain.
bbc.com
World Cup fans in China and India face broadcast uncertainty
Broadcasters in the two countries have yet to reach deals with Fifa, just weeks before the tournament is due to start.
cnbc.com
Japan may have fired its yen bazooka twice, but markets are testing Tokyo’s resolve
Japan's Ministry of Finance has intervened in the yen over the country's Golden Week holiday.
bbc.com
Instagram privacy tech is turned off today - what does this mean for your DMs?
The platform said it would remove end-to-end encrypted messages, a major U‑turn by parent company Meta.
bbc.com
Trump gives EU ultimatum deadline to approve trade deal with US
Trump's deadline to the European Union came as a trade court ruled his global tariff policy violated US law.
bbc.com
How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy
Molecules that can capture heat could be a useful technology to decarbonise heating.
cnbc.com
U.S. and Iran trade fire in Strait of Hormuz; each claims other shot first
CENTCOM's statement does not mention the status of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which has already been frayed by repeated claims that its terms are being breached.
theguardian.com
GameStop CEO opens eBay storefront to pay for potential eBay acquisition
Ryan Cohen selling tube socks and baseball cards after offering $55.5bn, although source of funds remains unclearThe CEO of GameStop, Ryan Cohen, said he was selling vintage video games, baseball cards, GameStop merchandise and a $14,000 pair of tube socks to help fund the company’s proposed $55.5bn acquisition of eBay.His platform of choice? eBay, of course. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Can a sprawling city make public transit work? Sydney may be on the right track
With transport set to be Australia’s top-emitting sector by 2030, officials have recognised the need to investAt Penrith, a suburb on Sydney’s rural fringe 50km (30 miles) west of the central business district, you can catch a train to the city every four to eight minutes during the morning peak, and roughly every 10 to 15 minutes during off-peak hours before midnight.On an express service, it takes 52 minutes to Sydney’s Central station, comparable to the journey by car, without factoring in the morning traffic on a tolled motorway. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Morrisons supermarket in Wales fined £750k for dirty bakery
A judge said the case was not about a few rogue employees but showed serious and systemic failure.
cnbc.com
While many international brands retreat, McDonald’s is supersizing its China business
McDonald's plans to have 10,000 locations in China by the end of 2028, and the country is its second largest market.
bbc.com
Major rail disruption expected in southern England until end of day
A radio fault has been resolved but passengers could continue to face long delays, warns National Rail.
theguardian.com
Gas-fired power still looks a safe bet for Centrica in the renewables era
There will still be a need to have gas in the wings to keep the lights on, so the financials stack up on Severn plant purchaseThe eye-catching non-Hormuz news in energy-land last month was that Great Britain is set for a record-breaking summer for wind and solar power generation. The national energy system operator even thought there could be periods – a sunny weekend or a bank holiday afternoon of low demand, for example – when more renewable power would be available than the electricity grid needed.So, on the face of it, it is an odd moment for Centrica, the owner of British Gas, to fork out £370m to buy a 16-year-old combined-cycle gas turbine plant in south Wales. After all, the government’s clean power plan imagines that, come 2030, Great Britain’s entire fleet of gas plants will be used to generate only 5% of its electricity, down from 31.5% in 2025. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Meta sues Ofcom over fines regime for breaches of Online Safety Act
Facebook and Instagram owner claims charges should not be calculated based on a company’s global revenueMeta has launched a legal challenge against the UK’s media regulator over the fees and fines regime it is enforcing under landmark digital safety legislation.The Facebook and Instagram owner is claiming that Ofcom’s methodology for calculating the charges is flawed and should not be based on a company’s global revenue. Breaches of the Online Safety Act can be punished by fines of up to 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue (QWR) or £18m – whichever is higher. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Outrage as oil giants profit billions from Iran war - The Latest
Shell has made $6.9bn in profits since the Iran war began, cashing in on soaring energy prices. The enormous profits have reignited calls for higher taxes on fossil fuel companies to fund support for those hardest hit by rising costs.Lucy Hough speaks to energy correspondent Jillian Ambrose. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Portugal and Italy will not suspend digital border checks for Brits
Reports had suggested the countries were set to follow the example of Greece, which effectively suspended biometric checks for UK nationals.
theguardian.com
BP plans to sell shares in flagship carbon projects as it pulls back from green agenda
Oil firm seeks to reduce stake in carbon capture and storage projects in north-east of England after schemes fail to win over shareholdersBP plans to sell stakes in two flagship carbon capture and storage projects in the north-east of England as the company continues to retreat from the green agenda.The oil company hopes to reduce its share in the Net Zero Teesside (NZT) project, which aims to develop the UK’s first gas power plant to be fitted with a controversial carbon capture system to remove its emissions. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Average house price falls by 5%, report shows
The cost of an average island property is down from almost £600,000 at the start of 2025.
theguardian.com
Superdry co-founder James Holder jailed for eight years for raping woman
Holder went back to woman’s Cheltenham flat after night out and refused to stop assault even when she began cryingA co-founder of the clothing company Superdry has been jailed for eight years for raping a woman after a night out in Cheltenham.James Holder, 54, had been due to get a taxi back to his home in the Cotswolds with a male friend. Instead, the pair got into the victim’s taxi and went to her flat in the Gloucestershire town, where Holder raped her.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...
cnbc.com
France is fan favorite for the FIFA World Cup — but AI is backing another nation for glory, says BofA
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to add over $40 billion to the global GDP with its most lucrative edition ever.
theguardian.com
Dawn airport drinkers call out Ryanair boss on proposal to ban ‘holiday ritual’
Stansted passengers disagree that stopping airports serving alcohol before early flights will reduce bad behaviourFor most people, the idea of a pint with breakfast is pretty grim. But at the Wetherspoons in Stansted’s departure lounge on Thursday morning, it appeared to be the beverage of choice.“It’s a holiday ritual,” said Dee Wood, 60, a waste policy officer, who was enjoying a pint while waiting to board her Alicante-bound morning flight. “It’s like the start of holiday,” said her friend Rachel Almond, 59, a community planner, who was treating herself to a lager. “We don’t get drunk, we just have a pint, say cheers and off we go.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Revealed: owner of former WH Smith stores is charging fee to use fictitious ‘family’ brand
Exclusive: Documents show Modella Capital, which bought the chain last year, is so far owed £2.9m in royalty feesThe investment company that owns the former WH Smith high street stores is charging the retailer millions of pounds in licence fees for the right to use its widely derided TG Jones name, the Guardian can reveal.Modella Capital, which bought the chain from WH Smith’s parent company last year, on Wednesday blamed weak consumer spending as it laid out a restructuring plan that could shut 150 of its 450 shops. It also said “the forced name change from WH Smith has also negatively impacted consumer awareness”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Panini World Cup sticker albums to end as Fifa announces new partnership
Fifa association with Panini goes back to 19702030 World Cup will be final tournamentPanini World Cup sticker albums will become a thing of the past following the centenary finals in 2030 after Fifa announced a new partnership on Thursday.The Fifa association with Panini already stretches back more than 50 years, with the first World Cup sticker book published ahead of the 1970 finals in Mexico, and will have reached 60 years by 2030. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK construction firms face some of sharpest cost rises in nearly 30 years
Monthly rise in prices of fuel and raw materials, driven by Iran war, is one of steepest since survey began in 1997Business live – latest updatesConstruction companies in the UK are experiencing some of the sharpest cost rises in nearly 30 years as the war in Iran drives up prices for fuel and raw materials, according to a closely watched survey.The poll of UK construction companies found that input cost inflation – which accounts for expenses such as raw materials, energy and labour – rose last month to the highest level since June 2022 when there was a spike in commodity prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Football regulator urged to ban Premier League clubs from unlicensed gambling money
Entain wants no operators unlicensed in UK as sponsorsTwo clubs did not advertise such companies this seasonThe Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has been urged to stop Premier League clubs from accepting sponsorship from gambling companies unlicensed in the UK in the latest public consultation over its licensing regime.Entain, the global sports betting company that owns Ladbrokes and Coral, has submitted a response to the IFR asking for a clarification of its guidance that would prevent clubs from doing commercial deals with operators unlicensed in the UK. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Diesel prices squeeze US farmers ‘barely getting by’ amid tariffs and drought
US war with Iran drives diesel fuel prices up during spring planting season, ‘hitting us at the wrong time’, farmers sayIt has been a tough few years for American farmers.Squeezed last year by tariffs, they lost an estimated $34.6bn when former trade partners stopped buying. Now, the war with Iran has not only depleted crucial fertilizer stores but has also driven diesel fuel up to record prices. Like the trucking industry, agriculture relies heavily on diesel to run machinery, as diesel-powered engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline-powered ones. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Both left and right are deluding themselves about the scale of the energy crisis Britain faces | Ewan Gibbs
Decades of complacency cannot be magicked away by drilling in the North Sea – or even by hoping that renewables will quickly power everythingEwan Gibbs is a historian of energy at the University of GlasgowFirst it was Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now it is the blockade of the world’s petroleum artery in the Gulf. For the second time in four years, Britain is facing an energy crisis that has been made much worse because of the absence of preparation by its political leaders.The fact is that our energy politics were conceived for a world where convulsive, global events were a thing of the past. The notion that it would be difficult to access supplies of oil or liquefied natural gas from the international markets did not figure in the understanding of the politicians and officials who shaped our perilous current moment. But even today, the advocates of energy sovereignty on the left and right appear to lack knowledge, understanding or power over this very foundational matter.Ewan Gibbs is a historian of energy, industry, work and protest at the University of Glasgow. He is the author of Coal Country: The Meaning and Memory of Deindustrialization in Postwar Scotland Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Restaurants won’t survive’: Michelin chef opens venues abroad to withstand UK taxes
Jason Atherton, who has restaurants in Dubai, St Moritz and now Tuscany, says it’s tough to stay afloat in UK hospitality industryA British Michelin-starred chef says he is opening restaurants abroad to subsidise his UK venues against a backdrop of high taxes and a struggling hospitality sector.Jason Atherton is now in Forte dei Marmi, on the Tuscan coast in Italy, where he is preparing his newest opening, Maria’s, which will be in the Principessa hotel. The Sheffield-born chef now has restaurants all over the world, including in Dubai and St Moritz. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘At a crossroads’: will piling-up crises force Europe to put brakes on SUV culture?
Bigger cars including electric can cause multiple harms, yet resistance to rise of US-style vehicles has had mixed supportOn a brisk winter’s evening in Europe’s automotive heartland, a cyclist who had pushed for safer streets went out on his bike for a final time. Andreas Mandalka had documented dangerous driving and shoddy cycling infrastructure for years, measuring the margins at which cars zipped past him and posting videos of blatant violations. While quick to remind readers that only a small proportion of drivers behaved badly, the 44-year-old blogger in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, had grown frustrated with authorities for failing to act. He felt they viewed him as a nuisance.As he cycled down a straight stretch of renovated road that runs parallel to a forest path he had flagged for poor quality, lights bright on his bike and helmet firm on his head, he was fatally struck from behind by a car. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
How the U.S. military and Maersk got a ship to pass through the Strait of Hormuz
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said the shipping giant had deliberately taken a "very cautious approach" during the Middle East crisis.
bbc.com
Shell latest oil giant to see profits surge due to Iran war impact
The energy giant's profits jump by nearly a quarter as it benefits from the recent volatility in the oil price
theguardian.com
‘Now the village is dead. It’s awful’: why was one of Britain’s best pubs forced to close?
For 400 years, The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge offered a warm welcome to locals and travellers. Then the rent doubled. With two pubs a day closing in England and Wales, can the community save this 17th-century gem? The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge, a few miles from Windermere, is exactly how you’d want a Lakeland pub to be. A pretty 17th-century stone building, whitewashed, with a couple of dormer windows poking up from the slate roof and a view of the fells, it was originally a coaching inn on the route from Manchester to Glasgow.It is not, however, looking its best today. We arrive in a proper Cumbrian downpour. It should be warm and welcoming, with a place by the wood-burner to dry out and down a pint of Wainwright, perhaps. But the door is shut, the curtains drawn in one of the downstairs windows and no sign of life through the other. Attached to the front of the building is a sign; not a pub sign (the name of the pub is painted elegantly in grey over the door), this one has another message: FOR SALE. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'We had people come just to see it': Amazon delivers its first UK parcels by drone
The unmanned aircraft can drop off 100 parcels a day within a 12km radius of Amazon's hub.
bbc.com
Watch: Drone delivers first Amazon parcels in UK
The tech giant says it hopes to slowly expand the service as the demand for ultra-fast deliveries grows.
bbc.com
$19bn order boosts Belfast Airbus factory
Malaysian airline Air Asia places an order for 120 Airbus A220s, the wings of which are made in Belfast.
bbc.com
'How loan shark threats keep victims like me silent'
A meat cleaver and samurai sword are among items seized from suspects, shown exclusively to the BBC.
bbc.com
The AI fitness instructors selling unreal gains
A BBC Sport investigation finds misleading adverts for fitness apps that use AI-generated instructors to make exaggerated claims.
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: Social media is reshaping the world's fastest-growing market for global brands
Social media influencers are urging consumers to read labels and pushing traditional companies to make healthier products or risk being replaced by newer entrants.
bbc.com
The no-nonsense judge calling the shots in Musk v Altman trial
The feud has fuelled a costly showdown between two tech titans.
bbc.com
Gulf economies face long-term hit from Iran conflict
Commentators say it will take years or even decades to repair the damage.
bbc.com
Former OpenAI board member says Elon Musk offered her sperm donations
Shivon Zilis is the mother of four of Musk's children. That relationship began as she advised OpenAI.
theguardian.com
Cameo, speeches, pushing gold bullion: how Farage has made millions since becoming an MP
In less than two years in parliament, the Reform UK leader has brought in £2m on top of his Commons salaryNigel Farage’s income since being elected MP has hit £2m, analysis shows“There’s no money in politics,” Nigel Farage complained almost a decade ago, describing himself as “53, separated and skint”.He has since proved himself wrong. In less than two years in parliament, Farage has brought in £2m, including hospitality, through speeches, presenting, writing news articles, promoting gold bullion – and even recording modestly priced Cameo clips for his fans. It seems that every £70 video counts when it comes to making cash. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Hedge fund founder hits back at Mamdani's 'creepy' wealth tax video
Ken Griffin said Mamdani's video, filmed outside his apartment, raised safety concerns.
bbc.com
People urged not to cancel flights over fuel shortage fears
Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally in May as jet fuel prices soar due to the conflict in the Middle East.
bbc.com
Oil prices drop and stock markets rise after reports of deal to end Iran war
Reports have raised hopes of an agreement between the US and Iran after days of escalation.
theguardian.com
Another day, another pivot as Trump flails in an Iran trap of his own making
Latest proposal, derided by Tehran as a ‘wishlist’, could yet be a way out – but with 5,000 dead, it comes at an awful priceAnother day, another hairpin turn in the world of Donald Trump’s foreign policy.The weekend was all about war, and Trump insisting Iran had not yet “paid a big enough price”. Tuesday was Project Freedom, styled as a grand “humanitarian gesture” to allow trapped ships and their crews to escape the Gulf, but also aimed at weakening Iran’s chokehold on the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Up to 150 former WHSmith high street stores to close
The stores were purchased by Modella Capital last year, and then rebranded under the name TGJones.
theguardian.com
Vienna’s public transport is the envy of the world – so why can’t it ditch cars?
Austrian capital mulls expanding tram network and park-and-ride car parks in effort to reduce private vehicle useWhen Leonore Gewessler hops on the underground trains and street-level trams that run like clockwork across the breadth of Vienna, she appreciates the ease, affordability and time she “gets as a present” instead of idling in traffic. But Austria’s former climate and transport minister is also aware that cars still dominate the capital’s streets. She says good public transport is just the “precondition” to changing how people move around the city.Vienna’s network of trains, trams and buses have long been the envy of other European cities – let alone car-centric North American ones – but automobiles are still used for a quarter of journeys. In other capitals famed for world-class public transport, such as London, Paris and Prague, even higher use of cars has frustrated doctors and campaigners demanding cleaner air and safer streets. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
From jewelers to health tech, CEOs want tariff refunds as earnings take a hit
Philips and Pandora on Wednesday announced their intentions to apply for tariff rebates in the aftermath of President Trump's "liberation day" blitz.
bbc.com
Why did Paddington Bear need a police escort?
Rav Wilding joins us with the latest crime headlines. From a shocking BBC investigation exposing scammers abusing dogs to con animal lovers, to how to spot a shop used by organised crime — plus why Paddington Bear needed a police escort
bbc.com
Which airlines are cancelling flights to the UK - and what can you do?
Airlines are putting up prices and cancelling flights in response to higher jet fuel prices.
bbc.com
Campaigners call for ban on use of weedkiller glyphosate at harvest time
Campaigners are calling for a ban on the use of the weedkiller over health concerns.
theguardian.com
Nine dollars for a Starbucks is an ‘affordable luxury’? CEOs need to wake up and smell the coffee | Arwa Mahdawi
The head honcho thinks splurging nearly $10 on a beverage during a cost-of-living crisis is fine for a ‘special experience’. It’s time to offer my own valuable adviceI don’t mean to vent, but what is up with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s obscenely large compensation package? Niccol, who joined the company in 2024, is one of the best-paid executives in the US, raking in $96m (£70m) in just his first four months on the job. The man makes 6,666 times more than the company’s typical employee, according to a 2025 Executive Paywatch report. He also regularly commutes to work via private jet. Can’t expect a strategic genius to live next to the office like the rest of the hoi polloi.Still, while he might be good at flogging drinks, Niccol apparently has trouble reading a room. As the cost of living surges, and the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25, the CEO is getting roasted for calling a $9 coffee “a really affordable premium experience”. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Niccol noted that the K-shaped economy, in which higher-income households are thriving and splurging while the bottom half struggles, isn’t really affecting business. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Next to hike prices by up to 8% outside Europe due to Iran war costs
No extra price rises are slated for the UK, which saw better than expected sales in the first quarter.
bbc.com
'I thought he was going to hit me,' OpenAI co-founder says of Musk
OpenAI president Greg Brockman spoke during the second week of a month-long trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI's Sam Altman.
bbc.com
Border politics - how similar jobs in the same firm deliver different tax bills
Workers in southern Scotland can find themselves paying more tax than colleagues who live south of the border.
theguardian.com
Trump and his oil-and-coal oligarchy should face sanctions for their war on the environment | Alexander Hurst
Europe punished Russian billionaires over the war in Ukraine. It should do the same to those abetting an ecocidal regimeThe ecological disasters of the US-Israel war with Iran are already bad enough. The noxious smoke from bombed oil facilities, spills in the Gulf’s waters, the contamination of farmland and groundwater with toxic chemicals unleashed by explosions and their debris, the millions of additional tons of CO2 spewed into the atmosphere. But as bad as it is, the Iran war hides another conflict: the ecological war that Donald Trump’s US is waging against the rest of the world.When the EU and UK imposed individual sanctions, travel bans and asset seizures on Russian oligarchs, it wasn’t because most of them were individually responsible for Vladimir Putin’s colonial war of aggression against Ukraine. They were targeted because, as a class, they were viewed by many as inextricable from the apparatus of corruption and levers of power of the Russian state threatening global stability.Alexander Hurst writes for Guardian Europe from Paris. His memoir Generation Desperation is out now Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Is Europe ready for a future without the US? – podcast
Trump has threatened to pull 5,000 troops from Germany – while European leaders worry this is just the start of a US withdrawal from the continent. Deborah Cole reportsLandstuhl is a unique place: a small town in the south-west of Germany, it is also very American.There are American fast food joints, nail salons flying the US flag … and it has, says the Guardian’s Berlin correspondent, been welcoming the US army since it marched into the nearby city of Kaiserslautern in spring 1945. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Apple to pay up to $95 to some US iPhone buyers over AI lawsuit
Claims from last year said the tech firm’s advertising of Apple Intelligence fooled iPhone buyers.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on the Renters’ Rights Act: finally, protections fit for the modern housing market | Editorial
The rising number of private renters in Britain have for too long put up with chronically insecure tenancy agreements and poor conditionsThe defining trend in British housing in recent decades has been towards private renting. The sector in England nearly doubled in size between 2004 and 2013. By 2023 almost two-fifths of households were either renting privately or socially. Meanwhile, the dream of home ownership has steadily eroded: 39% of 25- to 34-year-olds owned their home in 2023, 20 percentage points lower than the peak (59%) in 2000. Many younger adults now rent from a private landlord as the default, and expect to do so for the rest of their lives.Which is why the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act is important. Until last week, landlords could evict a tenant for requesting a reasonable repair, or challenging a rent hike. A poll in 2023 for the charity Shelter found that tenants who complained to their landlord or local authority were 159% more likely to be served a no-fault eviction notice than those who did not. The fear was that complaints could cost tenants their homes. It was customary for landlords to pre-emptively evict tenants if they wanted to raise rents.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Stock markets are wobbling, but £10bn cash bids at fat premiums can still happen
A Swedish firm’s pursuit of the product testing company Intertek suggests investors’ price expectations are yet to be shifted by the Iran warIt was a bad day for the FTSE 100 index on Tuesday – down 1.4% – but the puzzle in many quarters is why share prices haven’t fallen further since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. The index is still up by a couple of percentage points since new year, which is not a bet most would have made at the time if they had been told an inflationary energy price shock lay around the corner.An absence of Iran-related corporate profits warnings partly explains the relative resilience, even if those usually take a while to arrive. So, too, the fact that the Footsie is overpopulated with overseas earners for whom the US economy, which isn’t suffering Europe’s soaring natural gas prices, matters more than their home market. And higher oil prices obviously help the likes of Shell and BP. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tell us: are you caught up in the NS&I lost funds issue?
If you’re affected by the National Savings and Investments lost funds scandal, we would like to hear from youThis month the state-backed National Savings and Investments (NS&I) bank will share its plan to reunite thousands of bereaved families with their missing money.In March it emerged that 37,500 people faced delays because of problems tracing the premium bonds of deceased customers. The families are collectively owed nearly £500m. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK homebuyers face worst mortgage affordability since 2008, data shows
‘Least affordable’ areas mainly in London commuter belt, UK Finance finds, with Iran war not yet reflected in dataBusiness live – latest updatesUK homebuyers are facing the worst mortgage affordability pressures for almost two decades, although the “pain” is not being felt equally across the country, according to industry data.The banking body UK Finance said that at a nationwide level, initial mortgage repayments were typically swallowing up more than a fifth (21.3%) of a homebuyer’s gross income – the highest level since 2008. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Reform UK’s immigration policies are a significant risk to the UK economy | Sushil Wadhwani
An exodus of workers will be damaging – and electoral change might help Britain escape instability and low growthWhile all eyes are on the Middle East and the risk of a global recession, a possible scenario with significant downside risk for the UK economy after the next general election is building: the impact of anti-immigration policies.We do not know enough about the actual policy changes a Reform UK-led government would impose, but if we get forced repatriation (including of some who were born in Britain) combined with a climate of fear, the economic disruption could be highly significant. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why are there so many vape shops on our high streets?
New research has shown a 28% growth in shops selling vape products in Scottish towns and cities.
theguardian.com
RBA governor announces cash rate hike and warns more interest rate rises could come – video
Michele Bullock says more interest rate rises may be needed after the third interest rate hike in 2026 bringing the offical cash rate to 4.35%. The Reserve Bank governor says rate hikes to date won’t be able to stop fuel prices from driving up inflation and are instead aimed at cutting spending to stop broader prices from rising after the oil price spike endsRBA interest rates: Reserve Bank hikes official cash rate to 4.35% in blow to mortgage holders Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Historic breakthrough’: could the fossil fuel era be coming to an end? – podcast
The transition towards renewable energy received a boost last week when representatives from 57 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia, for a world-first climate meeting aimed at bringing the fossil fuels era to an end. Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s global environment editor, Jon Watts, about how the landmark conference came about, who was missing, and whether the optimism can translate into real world actionCould Santa Marta climate talks mark ground zero in push to ditch fossil fuels?Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
bbc.com
Robots move in as waste firms struggle to find staff
Humanoid robots are being added to the automation of waste sorting.
bbc.com
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
bbc.com
Will AI lead to more accurate opinion polls?
It's cheaper and faster to collect people's opinions using AI, but will it make polls more accurate?
bbc.com
The kelp producer who wants to get Americans eating seaweed
Marine farmer Suzie Flores also hopes the crop can revitalise the US's small fishing towns.
bbc.com
Why has the UAE left Opec - and why does this matter?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is quitting oil cartel Opec after nearly 60 years of membership.
bbc.com
Why Spotify has no button to filter out AI music
Music streamer Deezer allows users to filter out AI music, so why does Spotify not offer the same?
bbc.com
How climate change threatens the economic backbone of the Pacific
Tuna populations around the Pacific Islands could move away as ocean temperatures increase.
bbc.com
From scientist to silk farmer: India's silk industry renewal
Silk production is an increasingly high-tech business in India.
bbc.com
What the Warner Bros deal could mean for streaming, cinemas and news
If Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros goes ahead it could significantly reshape Hollywood.
bbc.com
How a pivot to hair accessories led to business success
Jenny Lennick's colourful hair clips are sold across the US and around the world.
bbc.com
The 'dumb machine' promising a clean energy breakthrough
A stellarator is difficult to build, but could it be the best way to make fusion energy work?
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
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